Accelerometers for measuring impact behavior must exhibit a high capacity for measuring magnitude and a wide frequency range to capture the full range of signal.
It is desirable that the accelerometer have a first resonant frequency in excess of 20 kilohertz (KHz), thereby allowing it to capture the important components of the stress-wave signal. Consequently, the accelerometer needs to be very rigid and small in size to possess the desired resonant frequency.
There is a strong need in the art for a means for evaluating acceleration resulting from impact loading. In particular, there is a strong need in the art for an accelerometer which is better able to withstand the high impact forces involved in acceleration such as impact forming or blanking and which measures the acceleration and velocity of the tool while still providing a low noise output. This is in contrast to larger strain gage devices and accelerometers used in the prior art which have been found to encounter substantial resonance and other signal degrading conditions making it difficult to measure the acceleration characteristics of a machine under the high impact conditions to which it is exposed.